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Lowering voice is the secret to seduction

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 21 (ANI): Flirtation not just involves preening or coy eye contact, voice too plays a major role in seduction, suggests a new study.

Lowering voice may be means of signaling attraction, Susan Hughes, assistant professor of psychology at Albright College in Reading, Pa, found in the study.

“We found that both sexes used a lower-pitch voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to a more attractive opposite-sex target,” she said.

The study examined 48 Albright students using Skype to leave scripted voice-messages while viewing a picture of a fictitious person “receiving” the message. The men and women the participants looked at varied in attractiveness.

Hughes – who expected that women would raise their voices to sound more feminine and attractive – was surprised.

“There appears to be a common stereotype in our culture that deems a sexy female voice as one that sounds husky, breathy, and lower-pitched,” she said.

“This suggests that the motivation to display a sexy/seductive female voice may conflict with the motivation to sound more feminine,” she added.

Female voice manipulation suggests that altering their tone may be a learned behavior based on sexual voice stereotypes rather than actual vocal characteristics of attractiveness.

“When a woman naturally lowers her voice, it may be perceived as her attempt to sound more seductive or attractive, and therefore serves as a signal of her romantic interest,” she said.

The study is to be published in the fall by the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. (ANI)

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Resting fat people not lazier than skinnier counterparts

April 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 21 (ANI): When a slim person is seen laying down watching TV, people assume they”re resting. But when people see a fat individual relaxing, it”s automatically assumed they”re lazy and unmotivated.

Now, Tanya Berry, from the U of A”s Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, says these stereotypes about overweight people need to be addressed.

According to Berry, just because a person is overweight, it doesn”t mean they don”t exercise, and just because a person is thin, it doesn”t mean they are fit and healthy.

In the University of Alberta research, Berry had a group of study participants look at a number of pictures that would flash on a computer screen.

After each photo a sedentary word such as “lazy” would appear.

After the participants looked at each picture they were asked to say the colour of each word. Berry says when a picture of a thin “couch potato” came up, the participants were quick to say the colour of the word that appeared. But when a photo of an overweight person lying down appeared, the study participants paused.

Berry concluded that the slow reaction resulted as the stereotyped thoughts automatically set in, with the participant thinking about the person being lazy rather than thinking about the colour of the word. (ANI)

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Project Working Mom Identifies 6 Myths of the Working Parent

April 3, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

HOBOKEN, NJ, Apr 02 (MARKET WIRE) —
Project Working Mom, a full-tuition scholarship program and information
resource for working parents offered by eLearners.com, has identified six
myths of the working parent. The list condenses many of the untruths
often perpetuated about working parents and dispels these falsehoods in
an effort to empower parents and combat the myths that diminish their
work and family contributions. eLearners.com (http://www.eLearners.com)
is a web resource of EducationDynamics, which connects prospective
students with online classes.

“Project Working Mom gives us a unique opportunity to engage parents in a
dialogue about the challenges they face juggling work and family
responsibilities and from our conversations we recognized myths that
working parents frequently encounter,” said Terrence Thomas, Executive
Vice President of Marketing for eLearners.com. “By addressing these myths
directly, we can expose their inaccuracies while also acknowledging the
commendable job of working parents both at work and at home.”

The six myths of the working parent identified and dispelled by Project
Working Mom are:

– We are either good parents or good employees; we can’t be both.

– The parent who is employed outside of the house is the only “working
parent.”

– Parents who work do not spend enough time working with their children
on homework and projects that build character.

– Working parents care more about their needs than those of their
children.

– Mothers who hate to clean and cook choose to work outside the house.

– Work should be the responsibility of the “man of the house.”

A complete list of the myths with responses can be found by visiting

http://www.elearners.com/projectworkingmom/resources/whats-new/6-myths-of-the-wo

king-parent/.

“As a mom who works full-time it is frustrating to know that some people
believe these myths and stereotypes,” said Stephanie Clark, the National
Director of Project Single Moms and the organizer of the “Women Who Rule
the World” empowerment series, a part of Project Working Mom 2010. “It is
great to have the truth revealed and the discussion sparked about what
makes parents powerful role models and leaders for their children. Good
parents, as well as bad parents, work outside the home and have careers,
this is not a deciding factor in effective parenting.”

Project Working Mom 2010 is a full-tuition scholarship program that
offers parents a second chance at education. The program, which runs
through September 2010, will award more than 280 full-tuition
scholarships totaling nearly $5 million to participating accredited
online institutions. The previous four cycles have awarded approximately
$6 million in full-tuition scholarships to more than 150 parents. Parents
can currently apply to receive a Project Working Mom 2010 scholarship.
The deadlines to submit an application are April 27 and September 30. The
scholarships are for online programs from the certificate to Ph.D. level.
Additionally, Project Working Mom offers information and resources
related to balancing work, life, family and education. Visit
www.projectworkingmom.com to learn more and to apply for a scholarship.

About eLearners.com(R)
eLearners.com is one of several high visibility
websites operated by EducationDynamics. Since 1999, eLearners.com has
been successfully connecting learners to online education, including
online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and
a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners.com
provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online
degree program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and
financial aid resources. eLearners.com also offers an exclusive
seven-point support system, which provides guidance and resources for
current and prospective online students. For online colleges and
universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost,
performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase
enrollments in their online learning programs. For more information on
eLearners.com, visit http://www.eLearners.com.

About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics is higher education’s leading
marketing information and technology services company dedicated to
helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich
and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com,
eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50
special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider
of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In
addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services
proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through
its Market Research and Advisory Services division, the company brings a
decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student
intelligence, and best practice insights to its clients.
EducationDynamics is a portfolio company of Halyard Capital. For more
information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.

Contact:
Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
Email Contact
(303) 433-7020 or (720) 244-4268

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Coming soon: ‘Muslim Homer Simpson’

March 25, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, Mar 25 (ANI): A character in English comedian David Baddiel’s movie about a British Muslim who finds out he is actually Jewish, has been compared to Homer Simpson.

Omid Djalili, 44, who is set to star as the leading man in 46-year-old Baddiel’s ‘The Infidel’, says the character in the movie is just a regular guy.

“Yeah, he’s just a football watching, beer swilling fat git,” Sky News quoted him as saying.

“He’s a kind of Homer Simpson of the Muslim world,” he said.

Baddiel, who wrote and produced the movie, says that despite it being a provocative idea, it is not offensive.

“It didn’t occur to me when I first came up with the idea that it might be a brave thing to do,” he said.

“I just thought it was a funny idea.

“Twenty years ago I don’t think you could even had made this film because no one really thought of Muslims and Jews as polarised opposites then.

“But now politics and kind of media myth has forced that onto us,” he stated.

Baddiel has written four novels since his days with Frank Skinner but this is his first movie script, and though the story may sound controversial, in reality it is good-natured and very British challenging of stereotypes.

“Most Muslims and Jews who have seen it are not offended by it,” Baddiel, who is of course Jewish himself, said.

“And most Muslims are really pleased as far as I can work out to see an ordinary Muslim family with a likeable Muslim guy. It’s really not a film that’s trying to offend,” he added. (ANI)

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Kids promote communal harmony by teaching illiterate women at Delhi school

September 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep.14 (ANI): Good education broadens your mind, helps you to look beyond stereotypes and stops you from being prejudiced. But there are some children who are denied education either due financial or social constraints.

Children of a school in New Delhi have brought together some illiterate women to educate them, and in the process of doing so the students are also helping bridge gaps between different communities.

Attending classes is a set routine for these kids, but there is something else they have added to their daily agenda.

Every day in the morning the students of Laxman Public School spare two hours to teach these women.

Under a social initiative project run by the school for the past 14 years, these women from various religious and social backgrounds have been coming here to learn how to read and write.

Be it Hindus, Muslims or members of any other faith these children have never differentiated between these women. And for these adult students, the school is like a second home and their fellow mates, a family.

“Literacy does not have any boundaries of countries, state or of caste or religion. It teaches us not to discriminate but to promote harmony, irrespective of where we live what we do and what society do we belong to,” said Nishu Gupta, a student of the school.

The students have not confined their teaching only to books; they have found innovative ways of imparting and quizzing is one of them.

All these efforts have not only helped to improve their knowledge about the world, but also have united these women.

“It really doesn’t matter that they are from different religions. In fact, you just feel that there are people who need your help, we must go out to help them learn, help them become self-dependent become self reliant, so religion and caste does not matter,” said Sushruti, a student.

“I was an illiterate earlier, now it has been almost 15 years since I have been coming here and now I have reached at this level that I can now teach my children, I may not be able to teach English but I can easily teach Hindi to them and to the women in my community, reveals Munni Devi, a Hindu by faith and a beneficiary of the program.

Apart from learning to become a professional beautician, enhancing their stitching and embroidery skills the school also engages these women in mastering their skills in artwork.

Rangoli making – a traditional Hindu floor art, is a part of their non-formal education program. And such is the spirit of learning that both Hindu and Muslim women participate enthusiastically in it.

When I came here I didn’t know how to read and write, the school facilitated us with learning all that, later we requested them to teach some vocational course, now I know how to stitch. The school has been quite helpful; it never differentiates anybody on grounds of religion. Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs and even those economically deprived, all stay together and come here,” says Kamla Devi, a Hindu by faith.

Well, communal amity is further exemplified at the community kitchen of the school, where these women give something in return to the students.

While preparing the meal, the students give a helping hand and learn some skills of home keeping from these married ladies.

“See I am a Muslim by faith but with me there are my sisters from all faiths. There are no differences between us. Now a days Ramadan (time for Dawn to Dusk fast) is going on but you can see I am busy preparing food for my sisters. Not only me, there are 2-4 other Muslim women here all are involved in this kitchen. Its not like this that if we are Muslims then we get involved in this,” explains Shabnam, a Muslim.

“We get people from all the communities, that don’t matter to us. They come here for vocational skills, and now some of them have started their own shops of beauty (parlor), embroidery, and we give admissions to their kid only, that’s an incentive. If a mother becomes literate her child will be given a preference, ultimately is about being a good human being to be compassionate, to be loving and caring that’s what we are all doing”, says Usha Ram, Principal, Laxman Public School, New Delhi

Good relations between women from different faiths are a perfect way of showcasing multi-faith harmony. By Nitin Bhatia (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: adult students, boundaries, bridge gaps, caste, communal harmony, delhi school, different religions, family literacy, fellow mates, Good Education, gupta, harmony, hindus muslims, illiterate women, initiative project, New Delhi, nishu, quizzing, Social Backgrounds, social constraints, social initiative, stereotypes

UK research says over 55s happier, while under 25s are ‘stressed and lonely’

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 3 (ANI): A Standard Life report, called ‘Age Old Stereotypes’ has claimed that people over 55 are happier, while those under 25 are likely to be lonely and stressed about money.

According to The Telegraph, the report was based on a survey of over 2,100 adults who were asked to identify which feelings and activities they thought were typical at a certain age.

It found over 55s are most likely to be active in the community, most likely to be travelling abroad and least likely to be lonely.

Those aged 18 to 25 were most likely to be lonely and have financial worries.

They are also least likely to be in a satisfying relationship or to live in a nice home, the research also found.

“We still think of over 55s as being past it, lonely, almost ‘retired’ from active life, ” said Honey Langcaster-James, a psychologist.

“We have to address society’s deep rooted ageism and overcome the negativity associated with being older,” he added.

“If we can do this, then the benefits to our society and economy will be significant,” he said. (ANI)

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Pros and cons of being a man or a woman

May 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Wellington, May 29 (ANI): While there are exceptions to the pros and cons that are linked with being a man or a woman, stereotypes generally spring from a version of reality and are believed to exist for a reason.

And it is based on these stereotypes that certain expectations are put on all persons, whether rightly or wrongly, in accordance with their gender.

Considering this, experts have now come up with a list of pros and cons of being a man or a woman, reports The Dominion Post.

The list is as under:

Pros of being a woman

1. Better legs.

2. After divorce, we hold up better.

3. Women can get away with crying.

4. Much more interesting clothing and accessory options.

5. Women can multi-task.

6. Higher pain thresholds.

Pros of being a man

1. Men can urinate anywhere they like.

2. Men’s bodies don’t give them weird mood swings.

3. Men generally get more social respect, and people often think them to be more intelligent than they really are.

4. Uncomplicated friendships.

Cons of being a woman

1. Getting paid 20 per cent less than men on average to do the same job.

2. Expectation that they’ll be manicured, primped and preened to a high degree at all times.

3. Menstruation.

4. Child birth.

5. When men gossip it’s “networking”, when women talk it’s “bitching”.

6. Pressure to have children thanks to a ticking biological clock.

Cons of being a man

1. Facial hair and its constant upkeep.

2. Expected to be manly. Those who are not spend their lives apologising for it.

3. Getting “man flu”.

4. Not allowed to enjoy romantic comedies.

5. Men are expected to make the first move on dates, propose to their partners, make all the big decisions.

6. Not as socially accepted to get plastic surgery so often stuck with the hand you’ve been dealt.

7. Lower pain thresholds. (ANI)

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Ignoring stereotypes can help females excel in studies

May 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 4 (ANI): Want to excel in studies? Well, then, start thinking positive. That’s the advice from researchers at Indiana University, who have found that women perform worse on math tasks if simply made aware of the negative stereotype that women are weaker in math than men.

The researchers suggest that just the awareness of a stereotype can influence performance regardless of actual ability.

The study led by Robert J. Rydell, assistant professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University has also shown that when aware of both a negative and positive stereotype related to performance, women will identify more closely with the positive stereotype, avoiding the harmful impact the negative stereotype unwittingly can have on their performance.

“This research shows that because people are members of multiple social groups that often have contradictory performance stereotypes (for example, Asian females in the domain of math), making them aware of both a positive group stereotype and a negative stereotype eliminates the threat and underperformance that is usually seen when they dwell only on their membership in a negatively stereotyped group,” said Rydell.

“People seem motivated to align themselves with positively stereotyped groups and, as a byproduct, can eliminate the worry, stress and cognitive depletion brought about by negative performance stereotypes, increasing actual performance,” he added.

During the study, the researchers conducted four experiments in which female undergraduate college students were asked to perform difficult math problems.
Some were given no information about the stereotypes before working on the problems. Some students were made aware only of the negative stereotype, that men were better at math than women.

Some students were only made aware of the positive stereotype that college students performed better at math than non-college students.

And some were made aware of both stereotypes.
The researchers found that the women who learned only of the negative stereotype performed worse than the women in the other three groups, who on average showed no difference in performance level.

Rydell said people become aware of stereotypes in different ways. For women, simply sitting between two men while taking a math test can activate the negative gender stereotype.

“The activation of the stereotype is relatively automatic and hard to control,” he said.

“Whether you choose to endorse or believe the stereotype, however, is under your control. One option is to think about the positive groups you’re associated with that are related to the task at hand,” Rydel added.

The study appears in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (ANI)

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Keira Knightley’s beau ‘beds’ Michelle Pfeiffer

February 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb 26 (ANI): Keira Knightley’s beau Rupert Friend has stripped off for steamy scenes with Michelle Pfeiffer in romantic drama ‘Cheri’.

The film has been directed by Stephen Frears. It is an adaptation of the novel by French author Colette. The film premiered at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival, reports the Sun.

Set in 1920s Paris, ‘Cheri’ tells the story of the end of a six-year affair between an aging retired courtesan, Lea, and a pampered young man, Cheri.

Turning stereotypes upside-down, it is Cheri who wears silk pajamas and Lea’s pearls, and who is the object of gaze. (ANI)

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Teaching people to distinguish between faces of individuals of different races may help reduce racial bias

January 21, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Washington, January 21 (ANI): A group of researchers from Brown University and University of Victoria says that the simplest way to reduce racial bias may be to teach people to distinguish between faces of individuals of a different race.

The researchers revealed that they learnt this through a new measurement system and protocol they developed to train Caucasian subjects to recognize different African American faces.

“The idea is this that this sort of perceptual training gives you a new tool to address the kinds of biases people show unconsciously and may not even be aware they have,” said Michael J. Tarr, a Brown cognitive neuroscientist, and a senior author of the paper published online in PLoS ONE.

“There is a strong connection between the way we perceive and categorize the world and the way we end up making stereotypes and generalizations about social entities,” Tarr added.

According to the researchers, training people to recognize facial differences among individuals of other races may blunt the effect of racial bias.

They hope that their training program may someday be used to train anyone who comes into contact with other races – police officers, social workers or immigration officials.

Overall, the researchers used 20 Caucasian subjects for the study, which incorporated a measurement developed at Brown and dubbed the Affective Lexical Priming Score (ALPS).

The ALPS measure is similar to, and builds on, a test developed at Harvard University known as the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which helps to identify unconscious social biases.

Each subject was first shown a series of pictures of different races, such as African American and Caucasian faces. All the faces were shown in black and white, so that subjects would focus on facial features rather than skin colour.

On each ALPS trial, each test subject was shown a picture of a face, which then disappeared. The test subject then saw a word that could be real or nonsense – “tree” or “malk”, for example – and had to decide whether the word was a real word or nonsense word.

The researchers said that real words would imply something positive or negative.

Study’s lead author Sophie Lebrecht, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences and a member of Tarr’s lab, found that prior to training, the subjects more quickly responded if the word was negative and followed an African-American face.

Lebrecht revealed that the subjects responded more slowly if the word was positive, and followed an African-American face.

The subjects later participated in about 10 hours of facial recognition training: half learnt to tell apart individual African-American faces, while the remaining learnt simply to tell whether the faces were African-American or not.

The researchers noted that the subjects who had improved their ability to tell the difference between separate Africa-American faces also showed the greatest reduction in their implicit racial bias, as measured by the ALPS system.

Their positive associations with African-American faces increased, according to the researchers, and they had fewer negative associations with African-American faces.

The team conceded that it would not be right to claim that their approach could eliminate racial bias, but they suggested that teaching people to tell the difference better between individual faces of a different race might be at least one way to help reduce that bias.

Lebrecht said that developing a system that teaches people to make those distinctions should be helpful in reducing generalizations based on social stereotypes.

“If you give people the tools to start individuating, maybe they will make more individual (rather than stereotypical) attributions,” she said. (ANI)

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